European Leagues
Madrid ‘lacked courage’ against City, says Ancelotti before rematch
Published
7 months agoon
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Ambrose IjehReal Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Monday his team played without courage or personality when Manchester City knocked them out of the Champions League last season, ahead of another showdown with the English champions.
Pep Guardiola’s side thrashed Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in last season’s semi-finals and Ancelotti called on his players to show more mental strength this time around.
Record 14-time winners Madrid host reigning champions City at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday in a mouthwatering quarter-final first leg clash.
“We played without courage, without personality — courage and personality are fundamental in this type of game, we lacked them in the second leg,” Ancelotti told a news conference.
After a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital Madrid crumbled to a bruising 4-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
Ancelotti said his players have to be mentally strong against City but admitted he was nervous before the game.
“The important thing is to be at our best, the mental aspect is very important,” continued Ancelotti.
“In terms of courage and personality, we’ve had time to prepare for the game, we’ve prepared very well, and I am confident that we will give our best and we’ve got the quality to compete.”
Despite having won the competition four times, twice with AC Milan and twice with Madrid, more than any other manager, Ancelotti admitted his own tension before the clash.
“(I’m) very nervous, before a game on a personal level it’s all suffering,” said the coach.
“Defeat is suffering and victory is relief, not happiness… suffering and stress keep you alive, it’s gasoline for me.”
Last season Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger kept Erling Haaland and his team-mates relatively quiet in the first leg but Ancelotti did not start the German in the Etihad thrashing.
“(The first leg) was a good game and we stopped Haaland getting passes,” Rudiger told reporters.
“The coach didn’t apologise (for dropping me) and doesn’t need to, I accept it, even though it was hard to accept.
Madrid ‘lacked courage’ against City, says Ancelotti before rematch
8th April 2024
Carlo-Ancelotti-
Carlo Ancelotti
By
Makua Ubanagu
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Monday his team played without courage or personality when Manchester City knocked them out of the Champions League last season, ahead of another showdown with the English champions.
Pep Guardiola’s side thrashed Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in last season’s semi-finals and Ancelotti called on his players to show more mental strength this time around.
Record 14-time winners Madrid host reigning champions City at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday in a mouthwatering quarter-final first leg clash.
“We played without courage, without personality — courage and personality are fundamental in this type of game, we lacked them in the second leg,” Ancelotti told a news conference.
After a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital Madrid crumbled to a bruising 4-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
Ancelotti said his players have to be mentally strong against City but admitted he was nervous before the game.
“The important thing is to be at our best, the mental aspect is very important,” continued Ancelotti.
“In terms of courage and personality, we’ve had time to prepare for the game, we’ve prepared very well, and I am confident that we will give our best and we’ve got the quality to compete.”
Despite having won the competition four times, twice with AC Milan and twice with Madrid, more than any other manager, Ancelotti admitted his own tension before the clash.
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“(I’m) very nervous, before a game on a personal level it’s all suffering,” said the coach.
“Defeat is suffering and victory is relief, not happiness… suffering and stress keep you alive, it’s gasoline for me.”
Last season Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger kept Erling Haaland and his team-mates relatively quiet in the first leg but Ancelotti did not start the German in the Etihad thrashing.
“(The first leg) was a good game and we stopped Haaland getting passes,” Rudiger told reporters.
“The coach didn’t apologise (for dropping me) and doesn’t need to, I accept it, even though it was hard to accept.
“Now for this game the plan is to try and control dangerous players like Phil Foden, (Kevin) De Bruyne and, of course, Haaland.”
Rudiger said he would treat the battle against the Norwegian hitman as if it was personal.
“It’s about the team, but I will take that duel as if it’s personal, as a defensive player against a super striker like Haaland,” he added.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
‘We Know Who Deserved This’ – Vinicius Receives Widespread Support After Ballon d’Or Robbery
Published
3 days agoon
October 29, 2024By
Ambrose IjehThe 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony was expected to bring a moment of redemption for Real Madrid, especially after their tough loss to Barcelona in the recent El Clasico.
Many Madrid fans and the club itself saw the event as an opportunity for some positive recognition, with high hopes for Vinicius Jr. to claim the award for the best player in the world.
However, hours before the ceremony, it was revealed that Vinicius would not be receiving the prestigious honour.
In response, Real Madrid decided that no representative would attend the gala on his behalf, a decision that has intensified the disappointment among the club’s supporters.
Support for Vinicius
Real Madrid fans have expressed their frustration over the Ballon d’Or voting results, feeling Vinicius’ performances were deserving of greater recognition.
Notably, former Madrid star Toni Kroos stepped forward to show his support, posting two photos of himself with Vinicius on social media, accompanied by a message celebrating Vinicius as “The Best.”
Following Kroos’ lead, several of Vinicius’ teammates expressed their support on social media. Arda Guler posted a photo of himself embracing Vinicius, while teammates like Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo also shared images and messages of encouragement.
“And so our world goes on, we keep going. I love you,” said the Brazil forward about his teammate.
Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Federico Valverde joined the wave of support, with Valverde emphasising that no award could adequately represent Vinicius’ talent and contributions on the pitch.
“You don’t need that (the Ballon d’Or). You’re already the best,” said Camavinga.
“No one will take away what you have achieved. We all know that. They are not prepared for what you are going to give them,” wrote Tchouameni
Vinicius’ national teammates from Brazil showed solidarity as well, with players like Richarlison, Bruno Guimaraes, Douglas Luiz, Emerson Royal, Gabriel Magalhaes, Lucas Paqueta, and Serge Aurier sending him words of encouragement.
“We all know who really deserved to win this Ballon d’Or. We are all with you brother, we will do everything so that you can win that it. I love you. BEST IN THE WORLD. Nothing against Rodri but my congratulations,” wrote Douglas Luiz
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Rodri Becomes First Man City Player To Win Ballon d’Or; Vinicius Reacts
Published
3 days agoon
October 29, 2024By
Ambrose IjehManchester City midfielder Rodri has been awarded the Ballon d’Or after a stellar season that saw him pick up silverware with both club and country.
Rodri was handed the award at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, organised by the French magazine France Football in collaboration with UEFA.
“A very special day, for me, my family and my country,” Rodri said.
“I understand that because I have no social media, people don’t know me much. I am just a normal guy. I enjoy the sport, I enjoy my profession. And I try to be a good person. I am a very calm person.”
The 28-year-old won his fourth straight Premier League with City in May as Pep Guardiola’s side held off Arsenal’s challenge, winning their last nine games to clinch the title. He is the first player from England’s top tier to be crowned since Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2008 during his first stint with Manchester United.
Rodri’s stiffest competition for the Ballon d’Or came from Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, who refused to travel to Paris for the ceremony after discovering that he would not take home the trophy. Jude Bellingham finished third in the voting.
Vinícius, 24, had been a leading contender to win the 2024 men’s prize after leading Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season, but sources told ESPN earlier on Monday that neither he nor his fellow Madrid nominees — eight in total across the various awards — would attend the event.
Madrid had been honoured earlier in the ceremony as the men’s team of the year, and Carlo Ancelotti received the coach of the year award, though no representatives of the last Champions League winners were present to accept it.
“I’ll do it 10x if needed. They are not ready,” Vini Jr. posted in Portuguese on X.
Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga made it clear what he thought of the vote, calling it “football politics.”
“FOOTBALL POLITICS X. My brother, you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you my bro,” the France international wrote on X along with a photo of him and Vinicius celebrating together.
The awards are based on voting by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries.
Rodri was part of the Spain team that won Euro 2024, starting every game except the third group stage match against Albania, and claimed the player of the tournament prize.
He went a world-record 74 games unbeaten for club and country from March 2023 to May 2024, avoiding defeat (other than via penalties) until City’s loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Rodri becomes the second men’s player born in Spain to win the sport’s most prestigious individual prize, and the first since former Barcelona star Luis Suárez claimed it in 1960.
Real Madrid’s legendary striker Alfredo di Stefano won the award twice, in 1957 and 1959, though he was born in Argentina. The past four Ballons d’Or Féminin have been won by Spanish women (Alexia Putellas in 2021 and 2022 and Aitana Bonmatí in 2023 and 2024).
“Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi [Hernandez], Iker [Casillas], Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder,” Rodri said on stage at the ceremony.
“Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light.”
Rodri is likely to miss the rest of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury during City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sept. 22. He collected the prize on crutches on Monday.
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Premier League
END OF BAD ERA! Manchester United Sack Erik ten Hag At Last
Published
4 days agoon
October 28, 2024By
Ambrose IjehManchester United have sacked manager Erik ten Hag following the club’s poor start to the season.
Ten Hag’s final game was Sunday’s 2-1 defeat by West Ham that left the club 14th in the Premier League with just three wins from their opening nine matches.
United are also 21st of 36 teams in the Europa League table, having drawn their three opening fixtures.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who joined the club as Ten Hag’s assistant last summer, has been named as interim manager.
The Dutchman was informed of the decision by the club’s board on Monday morning, fewer than 24 hours after the club’s defeat by West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The club triggered a one-year extension in Ten Hag’s contract following May’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City but just three months later he has been dismissed after overseeing United’s second worst start to a Premier League campaign.
More to follow.
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